I
ECTION FOR HONGKONG
G
MUSINGS ON THE FUTURE
HATE the past, I am in-
different to the present, but I adore the future.
Am I an exception? No, I don't think So. There are many people who may not hate the past as I do, who may not be indifferent to the present as I am, but who adore the future like me.
"Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow"-that is the tune of life-a tune that liked by all even by the so-called pessimists who, while they want others to believe that all is lost, cherish in their hearts the most optimistic de- sires.
A
A.
own
By A. H. AHMED
Speaking of the astrologers, I am reminded that I was ex- pected to hit the jackpot in this month.
the
After that I shall let members know all about my good fortune-how I came across it, how I hope to make use of it and how!.... Well, let us see.
The future has 3 promise for all of us and we all believe it. Sometimes, we disbelieve the past and we ignore the present but to the future are all always respectful.
we
Astrologers and palmists earn fortunes by telling US about our future. It is a great thrill to know what the future has in store for us. And, as fortune-tellers tell us, they are usually most delightful things -fun and frolic for the youngsters, love and romance for the youthful, rest and peace for the old.
"When all is lost, the future still remains," said a wise man and his wisdom remains unsur- passed till today.
When the spectre of the past
THE GREAT SPACE
LITTLE. over four years ago a message. from Moscow announ- red the successful launching of the first artificial satellite-and the great Space Race was on. It was at 11 pm on October 4, 1957, that the Russian news agency, Tass, broke the news to the startled world that the Russians had a satellite looping the earth 500 miles up at 18,000 miles an hour.
And now we've all read the startling, dramatic story of Yuri Gagarin's pioneering flight in space.
Russia has been first off the starting grid in the space race. How goes it now with several laps completed? What has been achieved? What is to come?
Let's go back to the moment when Russia added a new word to the language-sputnik. For days the teleprinters rattled and
the presses rumbled with news heavier than the first,
the views of
astronomers,
and
generals, space 'experts'
rocketeers.
Passenger
To America the
had
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about
haunts us, when the gloom of the present surrounds us, seek refuge in the future.
We
We always hope to attain in the future what we fail to do in the present or have failed to do in the past. I am сод- fident that in the future I shall be a great writer. Publishers will run for my manuscripts. Readers will memorise my writings. People will hang upon my words. Writers will vie with each other in writing my biography.
If nothing of the sort hap- pens, I will still have the future to lead me on.
-Credit card to A. H. Ahmed,
The 17-21 Club's
RACE five rules
What a rocket on the moon may look like. This is a film of a Russian model.
fine-focussed
the
moon.
of
:
space
U.S. plans
m.ex
Membership in the 17-21
Club is
to all within that oge group.
• Contributions and all at- tivities of the Club will be limited to members only.
• Contributions may consist of anything that is publishable articles, letters, stories, photo- graphs, drawings, verses. But only the best will be printed.
All contributions MUST be original.
• Written contributions should not consist of more than 350 werds, photographs and draw- Inga will only be accept-
ed in black-and-white.
-MEMBERSHIP-
Fill this in and send it to the China Mail,
1-3 Wyndham Street, Hongkong.
Name
Aga Occupation Address
carried "Attention, attention, dear When is this to happen? of sputnik sightings and with the first passenger into space, comrades," said the announcer. Within the next few years.
And on to the screen came But will the Americans meet, the dog Laika.
For a week Laika whistled the pictures which next day this schedule? round the earth in the bleeping were issued to the world.
The Operation Mercury satellite
in while scientists
Lunik Three
under had passed are
training and the Russia recorded radio-trans- 4,000 miles below the moon's rocket is undergoing proving. mitted information
As it passed the But no one can be sent until it the south side. effects of acceleration, vibra- moon's gravitation tugged at it is reasonably certain he will get: news
and pulled it upwards behind back. And so far more than half tion and noise on the animal. but gloom.
America's brought nothing
rocket The American attempts the moon.
unsuc- For they had expected to be the
meanwhile to catch
Devices in the lunik pointed launchings have been up were first to launch a satellite into
badly. After two cre end of it at the sun which cessful. space. They
announced failing
attempts by the Navy had had the effect of pointing the their plans more than two failed, an Army team under moon. Another device took over
the Rus-
the Lunik years before. Now
Plans, there are in plenty for Dr Werner von Braun, the and them and
Lens sians had pipped
hoods the future of
space explora- man who built the V2 fying on their sputnik, although little
two cameras, tion. After Lumik Three, Alex- bomb for Hitler to use against slid back from
Nesmeyanov, bigger than a football, was nine London,
president two ander in one magnifying the moon over. And
Russia's times heavier
Academy of! than anything February 1958 the first Ameri- and half times more than of America had planned.
Sciences, said: "Tro penstration and getting them off again is cán satellite, Explorer, went the other.
will not America had hardly got over
Both cameras began taking of outer space
Sop. still a long way off. on 35 Flights of men through pictures of the moon
How far? Sir Edward Smith, space, explaining things away when
to Mars and one of Britain's 30 days after Sputnik One-
Imm film, exposures automa- flights of rockets
top scientists
the Russians put
ahead. Next will says: “If a human being lands up Sputnik
tically varied from shot to shot Venus six
Now times Two. This
of these planets, on the moon and up to get the best results. Most of come a study
Cces back Russia countered with Sputnik the photography was done their conquest and popula- alive before the year 2,06-) I- Three, as heavy as a one-and- automatically though some of tion."
shall be surprised." a-half litre car. But in it was controlled from Russia. But before probes of Mors But. Dr Milton Rosen of the December 1958 America got up a
one expects a US. National Aeronautics and the film passed into and four-ton satellite, three times developing and fixing tanks, rocket round
the moon
and Space Administration has spoken as big as Russia's. And America Lunik passed round the moon back to earth
landing of plans for a 220ft rocket to roared her triumph.
the moon. take men to the moon in five cr and headed into space. Then of instruments The race was noW more she began to transmit ter Landing
moon ten years' time. equal. In January 1959, Russia pictures to Russia by a type of fired her first shot to the moon. TV camera, turning the pic- The rocket broke free of the tures into lines.
one,
into orbit.
took
Scoop
the race warmed
earth's pull but missed the moon
and soared on to become a new planet of the sun. Two months
a
Then
Conquest
It was undoubtedly a scoop.
later, the United States, after for the Russians. - four failures, also got a satel- What of the future? Well, lite into orbit round the sun. after Gagarin there is Operation .Then Russia forged ahead Mercury. This is the plan to again, In September 1859 on send a volunteer in a satellite the eve of Mr Khrushchev's the size of a bubble car iato visit to America, they hit the space at the tip of a rocket to mcon with Lunik Twe.
circle the earth at 18,000 miles And in October came Lunik per hour, eventually dropping Three and pictures 0: the into the Pacific Ocean. moon's hidden face. It was just Then comes the first real before midnight one night when space-ship, due to cruise round A Lunik-lens upwards. Soviet TV viewers sat up. · the earth on space patrol
•
lie
Venus
and
a
UN
men
E
CO
the
Artist's impression of an American spate cupsule.